Failure is Not an Option
by MyCrAzyWorld
Summary: Emma is the Dark One. They had failed her. Now what are they going to do to save her? Does she even want to be saved? For Killian it doesn't matter.


**So I really don't know where they plan to go this season, but I'm super excited to find out! That premier got me really excited and I was forced to set aside my homework to write this oneshot about what I imagined happened after Emma left them at Granny's. I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Summary: Emma is the Dark One. They had failed her. Now what are they going to do to save her? Does she even want to be saved? For Killian it doesn't matter.**

Before the last wisps of the black smoke Emma had used for her dramatic exit had cleared everyone was in a panic. Talking over each other and pacing, running into each other. Granny scrambled to the bar, pouring their usual's without having to ask. The other dwarves were fretting over Sneezy, trying and failing to slide him out of the way until they could figure out how to un-stone him. Regina and the Charmings were practically yelling at each other, neither side wanting to face the fact that they had failed the mission they had set upon 6 months ago, blaming each other. The only thing they could agree on is that none of them were comfortable with missing memories again.

Killian simply stood back and watched the chaos in front of him, but he didn't really see or hear any of it. He was still replaying that final look Emma had give him, her words haunting him. "I'm the Dark One." Her eyes had matched her voice, so detached and void of her usual warmth. Killian had never felt so far from her before and she had been standing right in front of him. Shaking his head he avoids the dwarves on his way to the bar and takes the offered glass of rum, downing it in one gulp. He calls for another, his eyes still unfocused he misses the concerned look Granny sends him as she pours. He finishes that one in a single gulp too, but waves Granny off when she lifts the bottle for another pour.

"Are you going to put a stop to their squabbling?" Granny asks now that she has Killian's attention.

Looking over his shoulder Killian takes in the sight of Regina and Mary Margaret arguing, throwing around accusations. Shaking his head Killian looks back down at the glass in his hand. "I have nothing to say that could stop them. Nothing that they want to hear."

"What do you mean?"

"Well they're so busy blaming each other and arguing, when we all just need to face facts." Killian sighs, signaling for another drink, gulping it down and wincing at the burn. "We are all to blame for the events that transpired in Camelot, whether we remember it or not." At her questioning look Killian sighs and signals for another drink, but this time he just lets it sit in the glass. "We failed." Killian lifts the glass to his mouth, but can't seem to drink it. He sets it down and pushes it aside. "We failed Emma." Killian says and pushes himself away from the bar, offering Granny a small wave.

Looking over his shoulder he considers trying to say goodbye to the others, but doesn't want to be drawn into their argument. He decides to slip silently out the back, tomorrow was soon enough to come together to form a plan. Hopefully it would be a better one then whatever they had come up with in Camelot. Hopefully Emma would give them a chance to try to make up for their mistakes.

He exited out the back of Granny's and instead of making his way towards the front and taking the quickest route back to his ship Killian starts down the alley. When he gets to the turn to head to the docks he hesitates and heads the other way.

Emma had to go somewhere after she left them in the diner. She couldn't leave Storybrooke and he didn't think she would return to her parents loft. There weren't a lot of places for her to hide and since she didn't need to sleep as the Dark One Killian didn't see her holing up in a room at Granny's. He had a hunch and hoped he was right, because if he was, then that meant there was still a chance that his Emma was still in there. He showed up to the waterfront by the woods and releases the breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. Breathing heavy he feels his heart sink as he turns in a circle and sees no sign of Emma. Lowering himself to the bench he rests his head in his hand, eyes squeezed shut, they were burning from unshed tears.

He could tell you the last time he had cried. As a boy he had cried often, his emotions always just under the surface. It had been after his father had abandoned him. He had slipped on a passing ship and when caught in their hull he had started to cry. The man who caught him set him up straight and told him that no man bound for a life on the sea could cry, and promised Killian as long as he stopped his tears he would keep him aboard. Turned out to be the Captain of the ship and Killian's only family until Liam had discovered what had become of him. Killian hadn't had time to say goodbye before the Naval officers had taken him and he was brought to his brother. The only other time he cried after that was when Liam had passed. With Milah's death Killian hadn't cried, at that point he had been too hardened, and had the words of the old Cap ringing in his ears. His anger had driven him then and any tears would have burned away before they had a chance to fall.

He felt like crying now though and there was no amount of anger in the world that would burn these tears away. He had told Granny that they were all to blame for what had happened, but that wasn't true. He was to blame. Emma's last words had been that she loved him…and Killian loved Emma more than anything. If that wasn't true love, Killian didn't know what was. And if it was one thing he had learned from his time with the heroes, that true love solved anything. So therefore Killian failed Emma.

"I see it didn't take you long to get to the blaming yourself stage." Comes a chilling voice from behind him. Startling Killian who turns and quickly stands, his hook armed braced for attack. He instantly lowers it when his gaze lands on Emma.

"Swan…"

"It's good to know how predictable you can be." Emma says ignoring Killian and starts to circle him slowly. "I will find that useful in the future I'm sure." Emma stops to stand in front of Hook, the look in her eyes more calculating this time. "Tell me what are you blaming yourself for Hook? Is it that with all of your knowledge of the Dark One and yet you still couldn't prevent this from happening? Or the fact that True Love wasn't enough to save me?"

"This isn't you Swan." Killian shakes his head, repeating the words that had helped to save her from killing Merida.

"See that's where you're wrong Hook." Emma says smiling, but her eyes don't change. "This is me. This is what you let become of me. Looks like you aren't much of a hero after all."

Killian clenches his jaw before speaking, his eyes searching Emma's, looking for anything he might recognize. "What happened in Camelot? What did this to you?"

"You." Emma says, her voice cold again, her eyes lifeless. "You failed."

"How did I fail?" Killian asks, willing her to tell him. If he knew he could maybe fix it.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Emma asks, and there! It might have only been for a second, but Killian saw in that look one similar to that she had given him countless times before. The last time he could remember had been in the woods in Camelot after he joked about her not looking like a crocodile. It was a look that spoke of humor, understanding, and love. It was a look only Emma could give him.

Reacting on instincts only Killian reaches forward and with a firm grip that takes Emma by surprise he pulls her towards him and before she can resist presses his lips to hers. It was a kiss full of desperation and hope. For a second Killian feels as if Emma is responding, she isn't pushing him away at least. But just as soon as Killian starts to let himself think all is not lost, he begins to notice that the kiss is wrong. Like her voice, it is cold and devoid of her usual emotion. Killian is quick to release her after that, unable to stand the contact when it was so wrong.

"Mmm wow! I didn't know you had such forcefulness in you!" Emma says with a thin smile. "Where has that been hiding all this time?" Emma asks reaching out and running her hands up his lapels. "And in this outfit…it's really working for me."

"Enough!" Killian seethes through clenched teeth. Stepping back and out of Emma's reach. "I don't care what you say Swan. I know this isn't you and I'm going to do everything in my power to save you."

"Save me?" Emma scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest. "Who says I need saving?"

"I do." Killian says, voice firm.

"And you think you can be the one to do it? You couldn't stop this from happening, what makes you think you can reverse it?"

That causes Killian to pause, but only for a moment. "I don't know what happened back in Camelot, but it doesn't matter. It's in the past now. But I do know that I won't stop until this is fixed and you're the Savior again."

"I look forward to seeing you fail."

"I won't, not this time." Killian says stepping forward and reaching out to cup Emma's chin. "And there is a part of you, deep inside, that doesn't want me to either." And then moving slowly, his intention very clear, Killian leans forward to plant a gentle kiss on Emma's forehead. "I look forward to finding and bring her back." Killian says as he pulls back, he notices the look of confusion clouding Emma's face. He turns to leave, but stops after only making it a few feet and turns back to face Emma, pleased to see she was staring after him and not with that same cold detachment.

"I know there is still some part of Emma in there, whether you like to admit it or not." Killian calls out to her.

"What makes you think that?" Her voice curious.

"Because of the dwarf Sneezy."

"I turned him into stone…" Emma starts to say, but Killian cuts her off.

"You could have killed him if you had wanted to. A real Dark One would have. Regina just has to study her books and there will be seven of them running around again."

"Next time I won't make the same mistake." Emma says her voice back to its cool detachment, but her eyes were almost pleading with him. It was her eyes Killian focused on.

"I plan to see that there won't be a next time. I won't fail you again Emma." Killian says and waits, but gets no response, so he turns again and finally leaves.

Emma watches him go, waiting until he has disappeared from sight before reaching up to rub a hand over her chest, above her heart. It had practically beaten out of her chest when Killian had pulled her into that kiss and again when he cupped her chin. It had taken all of her strength to not let it show. "We shall see Killian." Emma says and forces herself to turn and walk in the opposite direction.


End file.
